Synopsis
Our Bodies, Our Sex.
What does being a woman really mean? How do women live the status society reserves for them? A group of women, beautiful or not, young or not, gifted with motherly instinct or not, answer before Agnès Varda's camera.
Women Reply
1975 ‘Réponse de femmes : Notre corps, notre sexe’ Directed by Agnès Varda
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Alternative Titles
Resposta de Mulheres, Ответ женщин, Women Reply: Our Bodies Our Sex
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"being a woman means being unique, desired, attentive, and mysterious, as well as crazy and individual."
agnès varda's short documentary attempts to define womanhood by asserting that women are undefinable -- a valiant message undermined by some of that trans-exclusionary rhetoric unfortunately prevalent in second-wave feminism of the 70s :/
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agnés be like of course i support men’s rights ........ men’s rights to SHUT UP!
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this was good but honestly it hasn't aged very well in terms of these very 70s esque trans-exclusionary ideas of womanhood. the short itself was still made very well, though, and i know it was all well intentioned.
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major lack of intersectionality as it completely disregards any woman who isn’t white, cisgender and heterosexual (as it was with the majority of products of second wave feminism) but considering it was made in the 70s it's really interesting to see how feminism has evolved to become what it is today
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filled with unnecessary nudity (including nudity of minors), trans-exclusionary radical feminism and really poorly composed shots. this is probably a product of its time but this is such dated feminism that it makes it very hard to relate to or sympathize with in any way. one of the first lines is and i quote "being a woman means being born with female sex organs. being a woman means inhabiting a woman's body." like actually fuck off. the only redeeming quality was that the voices were nice to listen to. a surely well-meaning short with a message undermined by dated, transphobic feminism.
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A very conflicting film, as it makes a lot of great points about how men warp and control the concept of femininity. Women speaking for themselves is excellent, and there are really interesting observations about nudity and its use. The pastiche style of an infomercial works really well and links into ideas about the commodification of gender.
However, this is really emblematic of the non-intersectional feminism of the time. And while its time explains it, it does not excuse it: this narrow view of feminism was very harmful and this is a wide proclamation of it. This is deeply trans exclusionary and very white feminist. These are profound issues that are impossible for me to overlook because of the film’s intent. It puts all of its eggs into being a political, and polemical, message film and the message is inherently flawed.
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"Being a woman means being unique, desired, attentive, and mysterious, as well as crazy and individual."
Agnès Varda, The Queen of [70's] Feminist Cinema.
Though this cine-essay hasn't aged all that well in terms of the marginilization/flat out exclusion of transwomen in light of what would come with that third wave of rhetoric within modern feminism, this short is a bit slight in its own regard due to its being a part of a series of seven cinematic essays made by female directors that were produced for the program "F comme Femme" by the French television channel Antenne 2 in the mid-seventies. This is still delicate, observational camerawork from Ms. Varda and continued proof that she is a gem that can really do no wrong.
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"What does it mean to be a woman? I decided to focus on our body, our sex" - Agnes Varda,
- Agnes Varda Ranked: boxd.it/9oGCc
Varda feminist icon.
In the year of the woman, Varda attempts to answer a question about what it means to be a woman with this short film that focuses on women's bodies and sexuality. Embracing feminist theory the film comments on objectification and celebrates difference.I love how Varda uses her inspiring artistic vision to make the film engaging and thought provoking.
Good stuff.